Floor Drain Vapour Block Apparatus and Methiod for Using Same

ABSTRACT

A floor drain vapour block apparatus and method for providing a dependable water level in the vapour block to prevent backflow gases or odours from infiltrating into the area above the floor drain. The apparatus is a two-part assembly having an outer reservoir housing and an inner drain catch cylinder forming a water sealing reservoir space for holding or retaining a plumbing code enforced water level to block gases and odours from infiltrating above the floor level in which the assembly is inserted.

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationSer. No. 68/867,331, filed Jun. 27, 2019, and which is incorporatedherein by reference for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for providing adependable vapour blocking water valve in a floor drain for preventionof sewer gas and/or vapour from coming back through the drainage systemand infiltrating into the building structure or area above the floordrain. The apparatus and method may be utilized in residential and/orcommercial applications and is applicable for any drainage system, notonly sewer systems. Additionally, the present invention may include aremovable filter member in a catch basin section of the apparatus tocollect solid sediments and heavy particles, preventing them fromentering the drainage system and potentially causing blockagedownstream.

In most drainage systems, a J or P trap (a U-shaped bend) is provided tocatch or collect materials passing through the system. Such traps arealso intended to act as a dam to block vapours and/or sewer gases frombleeding back into the structure where the drain originates. However,current traps often accumulate excessive amounts of debris which buildsup, blocking drainage flow through the system. These current traps aresusceptible to outside wind currents which cause the water or liquid inthe bight of the trap to rock within the bight, causing prematureevaporation of the trapped blocking water or liquid from the bight.

There have been numerous prior art devices, apparatuses, and methodswhich attempt to solve the problems associated with cleaning or clearinga build-up in a vapour trap. These include U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,107,634,7,875,172, 8,347,906, and 9,021,628.

The existing devices are cumbersome and ineffective and are vulnerableto wind draft pulsation which causes water column evacuation andevaporation. Any prior art device which restricts the full volume flowthrough the bight of the trap when not in use and/or loses its watersealing volume causes more problems than it solves. The prior artdevices are messy during cleaning and allow odours to invade theimmediate area during such cleaning operations.

The present invention allows for a generally straight, vertical, fluidflow of drainage, without any flow curves, and a dependable water levelin the vapour block to prevent back flow gases or odours. The locationof the device in the drain system is located immediately under the floorgrate or screen and is easily accessible by removing the floor screenand conveniently reaching the filter for dumping into the trash. Sewergases are not encountered during the filter cleaning operation.

While the present invention is described and illustrated in thepreferred embodiment within a plumbing/sewer environment, it will beunderstood that the present invention could be adapted for use inindustrial situations where the same drain line could use more than oneinvention with accessible filters when the grade allows for a strongdrain flow. In such situations the present invention is intended tofunction as a door backflow control and a sediment filter which does notimpede the drain line with curves or other typical geometries associatedwith existing P traps.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a floor drain vapour block apparatus and methodfor providing a dependable water level in the vapour block to preventbackflow gases or odours from infiltrating into the area above the floordrain.

The apparatus is a two-part assembly having an outer reservoir housingand an inner drain catch cylinder forming a water sealing reservoirspace for holding or retaining a plumbing code enforced water level toblock gases and odours from infiltrating above the floor level in whichthe assembly is inserted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the manner in which the above recited advantages andfeatures of this invention are attained and can be understood in detail,a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarizedabove, may be had by reference to the specific embodiments thereof thatare illustrated in the appended drawings, which drawings form a part ofthis specification.

It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate onlytypical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to beconsidered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to otherequally effective embodiments.

FIG. 1 illustrates an elevation view of the present invention with afilter element in the catch basin of the inner catch cylinder and aplumbing code enforced water level within the outer reservoir housing.

FIG. 2A shows the vapour block apparatus disposed within a drain pipe ina floor drain.

FIG. 2B illustrates the vapour block apparatus with the sealing waterlevel at a code enforced level preventing gases from passing through theblock and invading the area above the floor drain.

FIG. 3 shows the block apparatus of FIG. 1 installed in a floor drainpipe with drain water flooding the apparatus.

FIG. 4 illustrates a vapour block apparatus with an alternatecompression sealing member retaining the apparatus within the drain pipeand preventing gases within the drain pipe from invading the area abovethe drain while drain water fills the apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates an elevation view of afloor drain vapour block apparatus 10 with a removable filter element 12situated in a catch basin section 14 of an inner drain catch cylinder16. The catch cylinder 16 is attached inside of and to an upper end 18of an outer reservoir housing 20 by screw 32. As will be furtherdisclosed below (see FIGS. 1, 2B, and 4), the outer reservoir housing 20is vertically received in and retained in a floor drain pipe 22 below afloor 24 level.

The apparatus 10 has an elastomeric compression seal 26 sandwichedbetween an outer flange 28 at the top 29 of the inner catch cylinder 16and an outer flange 30 at the top 31 of the reservoir housing 20. Theseal 26 is held between these flanges 28 and 30 by a compression sealadjustment screw 32. Screw 32 further connects the inner catch cylinder16 to the outer housing 20. Tightening of the screw 32 squeezes theelastomeric seal 26 outwardly, urging it against the inner wall surface34 of the drain pipe 22, as noted further below.

FIG. 1 also illustrates that inner catch cylinder 16 has downwardlydepending side walls 36 which extend downwardly into the outer reservoirhousing 20. Outer reservoir housing 20 has outer side walls 38 and abottom 40 forming an enclosed reservoir space 42 there between.

As will be discussed below, the reservoir space 42 maintains a waterlevel therein as required by most plumbing codes to block or preventsewer gases and odorous vapours from back flowing through the drainagesystem and infiltrating above the floor level. FIG. 1 shows thatrequired and enforced water level in the reservoir with reference letterd1. This level is between 2″ and 4″.

Outer reservoir housing 20 has a plurality of drain water outletorifices 44 in the outer walls 38 to allow excess drain water enteringthe apparatus 10 through a floor drain cover 46, shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B,3, and 4, into the catch basin section 14, and passing between thedownwardly depending side walls 36 into the reservoir space 42 to bedischarged into the floor drain pipe 22. This overflow is shown in moredetail in FIGS. 3 and 4.

In the bottom 40 of the outer reservoir housing 20 is a cleanout plug 50and port 52. The inner portion 53 of the port is raised to create adeflection profile to interrupt the typical wind currents that enter thedrain system and rock the fluid level within the reservoir. Wheninstalling the apparatus 10 in the drain pipe 22, the installer maythread an elongated threaded rod through the port 52 to hold theapparatus in the pipe 22 as the compression seal is urged against theinner wall 34 of the pipe 22. Once the apparatus 10 is securely retainedand sealed in the drain pipe 22, the installer simply reverses thethreading and inserts a threaded plug 50 into the port 52.

Turning now to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the apparatus 10 of FIG. 1 is showninstalled beneath the floor level 24 below a floor drain cover 46. Cover46 has a multiplicity of holes 60 or a mesh construction to allow wateror liquid at floor level to enter the reservoir space 42 via the catchcylinder 16, the catch basin 14, and the downwardly depending outer sidewalls 36.

FIG. 2A illustrates the apparatus 10 without drain water flowing intothe apparatus 10. The plumbing code required level of water d1 is shownfilling the reservoir space 42. This water 43 is shown as extendingbelow to the bottom edge 62 of the drain water outlet orifices 44, butnot spilling over the edge into the drain pipe 22.

FIG. 2B illustrates how the sealing water 43 in the reservoir space 42blocks or prevents sewer gases and odorous gases 70 from passing out ofdrain pipe 22, the outer reservoir housing 20, into the inner draincatch cylinder 16, out the holes 60 in the drain cover 46, and invadingthe area or space above the floor drain level 24.

FIG. 3 shows the apparatus 10 of FIG. 1 installed in a floor drain pipewith screws 32 tightened to urge seal 26 against the inner wall surface34 of drain pipe 22. Drain water 11 is shown flooding into the apparatus10. It may be seen that as excess drain water 13 fills the reservoirspace 42 it is discharged through orifices 44 and into drain pipe 22.The excess drain water 13 has raised the water level d2 in the reservoirspace 42 to above the bottom edge 62 of the outlet orifice 44.

FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative vapour block apparatus 100 with analternative compression sealing member 33 retaining the apparatus 100within the drain pipe 22. A catch cylinder 116 is integrally attachedinside of and to an upper end 118 of the outer reservoir housing 138.The alternate compression sealing member 33 may be constructed in anumber of ways as is well known by one of ordinary skill in the art.

It is therefore clearly evident that the present invention is one welladapted to obtain all of the objects and advantages hereinabove setforth together with other objects and advantages that are inherent froma description of the apparatus itself.

It will be understood that certain combinations and sub-combinations areof utility and may be employed without reference to other features andsub-combinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of thepresent invention.

As many possible embodiments may be made of this invention withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope thereof it is to be understood thatall matters hereinabove set forth or shown in the accompanying drawingsare to be interpreted as illustrative and not in any limiting sense.

1. A floor drain vapour block apparatus comprising: an outer reservoirhousing adapted to be vertically received and retained in a floor drainpipe below a floor level, said outer housing having an upper end havinga compression means for sealing and retaining said apparatus in saiddrain pipe, outer walls and a base forming a reservoir space therebetween, said reservoir space for retaining a plumbing code enforcedwater level to block or prevent sewer gases and odorous vapours frominfiltrating above said floor level, said outer reservoir housing havinga plurality of drain water outlet orifices in said outer walls of saidreservoir housing; and an inner drain catch cylinder attached inside ofand to said upper end of said outer housing, said cylinder having abasin for catching and directing drain water into said reservoir space,said cylinder having downwardly depending side walls extending belowsaid code enforced water level in said reservoir space, said pluralityof drain water outlet orifices allowing an excess of said drain waterentering said basin and passing between said downwardly depending sidewalls into said reservoir space to be discharged into said floor drainpipe.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a removable filterassembly adapted to fit within said basin.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1further comprising a wind profile deflector in said base of said outerreservoir housing and projecting into said reservoir space.
 4. A methodof sealing a vertical floor drain wherein said apparatus of claim 1 isplaced inside said floor drain pipe below said floor level, saidcompression sealing means is compressed to seal and retain saidapparatus in said drain pipe to block or prevent said sewer gases andodorous vapours from infiltrating above said floor level.